News article

Nikola Karabatic out for at least four months after foot surgery

Paris Saint-Germain centre back Nikola Karabatic underwent surgery on Friday morning in order to heal a foot injury.

The surgery treated a bunion on his left foot, the pain from which became too much to continue playing with.

“The problems began in December 2016 and I have been coping with it for a while. Last season was fine until the VELUX EHF FINAL4, when the pain came back.

“Even though I played the last games both with my club and the national team, I could not do anything properly,” Karabatic told the club’s official website.

Since the beginning of the season, Nikola Kabaratic had been rested by his coach Raul Gonzalez, often sitting on the bench or only taking part in defensive activities. But obviously, the situation did not get any better.

“The surgeon told is what we could not wait much longer or we would make the situation even worse.”

The French star is expected to be out for at least four months, with recovery estimated between four and six months. This means he will miss much of the VELUX EHF Champions League Group Phase as well as the upcoming World Championship in Germany and Denmark.

“It is tough and disappointing to miss all of this. But in the meantime, I know that if I carried on, I had no chance to play this competition. Worse, my injury could become more serious and I might have had to stop my career.

“I am sad not to be able to play, but I would have been a burden for the team,” reckons Karabatic, whose absence will be felt first by France in their EHF EURO 2020 qualifiers next week against Lithuania and Romania.